The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Renatexe2x80x99.
The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Poinsettia cultivar Peterstar, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,259. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the parent cultivar in a controlled environment in Made, The Netherlands, in December, 1998. The selection of this plant was based on its unique and attractive flower bract colors and good plant form and substance.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings taken at Made, The Netherlands, since 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Renatexe2x80x99. These charateristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Renatexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Large inflorescences with red purple-colored flower bracts and large cyathia clusters.
2. Dark green-colored leaves with burgundy-colored petioles.
3. Uniform, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
4. Very freely branching habit.
5. Natural season flower maturity date is December 2 for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.; response time, about 9.5 weeks.
6. Excellent post-production longevity.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the mutation parent, the cultivar Peterstar. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Peterstar in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are shorter, but more outwardly spreading than plants of the cultivar Peterstar.
2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Peterstar.
3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have smaller flower bracts, but larger cyathia clusters than plants of the cultivar Peterstar.
4. Flower bract color of plants of the new Poinsettia is red purple whereas flower bract color of plants of the cultivar Peterstar is red.